The New Kids
by Edward Squidman
Summary: Off the Hook saw insane popularity the moment they came on the scene, but where did they come from? How did they meet? I hope you like my answer
1. Eye Openers

_You got this, Pearl._

The young Inkling with pink and white tentacle hair knew there was no way she could take part in the annual youth folk singing contest without walking away with anything less than first prize. People were still talking about the cousins from Calamari who had won the contest years earlier, and Pearl was to take part with the very song they sang that year. Why _wouldn't_ she win? She was so much more talented than they were. There was no question: As long as she gave it everything she had, she was going home with the coveted first place trophy and certificate.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Please put your tentacles together and give a warm Calamari welcome to Ms. Pearl, all the way from New Sardine!"

Pearl strutted onto the stage radiating confidence as the audience applauded politely. She took her stance in front of the microphone and drew a deep breath as the entire auditorium fell silent and every ear stiffened to hear her voice.

 _Prepare to be blown away._

"HAIL TO THE WAAAATEEERS!  
FROM WHENCE WE CAME  
AND THANKS TO THE SEEEEEA!  
TO WHICH WE CAN'T RETURN!  
SING TO THE OOOOCEAN DEPTHS JUST IN CASE IT HEARS US!  
WE OWE EVERYTHING-"

The next moment the entire auditorium was dropped into panic as a shock wave shook the building. Luckily the emergency procedure was efficient and everyone was evacuated swiftly and safely with zero casualties, but the contest had to be cancelled for the year and all the contestants were sent home empty handed.

Pearl was sulking in her bedroom. She gave an uneven sigh as she pulled a tissue from the bedside and dabbed her eyes before crumpling the sheet and dropping it on her bedside cabinet where it joined more of its kind.

The cold hard fact was Pearl's singing voice was so terrible that it could be used in demolition. She was bound to have learned this lesson sooner or later but she wished sorely that it could have been sooner, and that the lesson did not include humiliation.

There was a knock at Pearl's bedroom door and her mother let herself in.

"How are you feeling?"

Pearl sniffed. She was lying on her side facing away from the door.

"What happened on that stage… It wasn't your fault."

"I know." Pearl retorted. "It was yours."

"Oh, Princess…" the kindly woman was audibly wounded. "I know you're hurting but why would you say that?"

Pearl sat up, still facing away from her mother.

"All my life I've been putting on little shows for you and dad in our back yard. Making a fool of myself. And you kept telling me that I'm _so_ talented. That I'm even better that those cousins from Calamari."

"Sweetheart-!" The mother protested.

"So what if I'm your daughter? Why would you let me think I had a chance? Why would you let me think I could sing in front of a serious audience? Sparing my feelings is one thing, but why would you knowingly set me up for failure like that?"

The mother put an arm around the daughter.

"Let me tell you a little something about your mom that you probably didn't know:"

Pearl looked up at her mother who seemed a hazy blur through the tears.

"I've been tone-deaf for as long as I've lived."

"What?" Pearl had never heard of a tone-deaf inkling.

"That's right." Her mother answered. "I couldn't tell a shanty from the groans of a dying whale."

"So all those times you told me I was talented-" Pearl began.

"I meant every word." Her mother answered. "I was watching. Not listening," she explained. "Maybe you don't have a fancy voice like those kids from Calamari. But that's not what I've been measuring you by. You have a presence unlike anything this world has ever seen. You _belong_ on the stage. Maybe not as a singer, but as _something_. Promise me you'll never give up. Promise me you'll keep believing. You'll keep coming back until you find your _true_ calling."

Pearl brightened up. "I promise," she said through a crooked smile.

Some years later in Octo Canyon a select group of music heads were buzzing with anticipation. A small mass of Octarians were seated within viewing distance of the biggest stage they had ever seen. No one knew exactly why they were gathered there, but rumors were circulating that had all of them jumpy with excitement.

"Apparently DJ Octavio promised us a show we'd never forget!"

"They say the Octobot King's bass is so unbelievably sick that it's technically a war machine!"

The next moment the stage lights went up. The excitement gradually turned to horror.

"Wait, is that an old inkling?"

"Why is he tied up?"

"Is this some sort of public execution?"

"I know they're the enemy and all but this is barbaric even by _our_ standards!"

"What exactly is going on here?"

DJ Octavio appeared, hovering in a sound system that was beyond anything anyone had imagined. It looked more like a weapon than something that was meant to entertain. The "show" began and everyone present held their breath.

Blowing an Octarian mind was no small feat and by the time everything was over a large mass of them was ranting uncontrollably.

"What a show!"

"I'm still having trouble believing what I saw!"

"It was life changing! I am so psyched right now!"

"The symbolism was just… GENIUS!"

"The old inkling is the old way of thinking and how it keeps us tied up in the bonds of animosity!"

"The young Inkling is you and me! The individual and our struggle to merely exist in this world!"

"…"

"The Octobot King is war and the bad blood that exists between us and them! The relentlessness with which that girl fought! She had me totally sold!"

"Marina?"

"…"

"And then the Squid Sisters showed up! Holy carp!"

"The Squid Sisters represent peace, and the power music has to break our bonds and bring us together!"

"And when the old and the new finally joined up… BOOM!"

"Marina, you've been quiet this whole time."

"…"

"What's on your mind, Marina?"

"…I know what I want to do with my life…"


	2. Two Difficult Roads to Fame

As soon as the sunlight (or what passed for sunlight in Octo Valley) touched Marina's head where it lay partially hidden under her covers and her black and teal tentacles, her silver-coloured eyes blinked open and an untamable grin awakened on her face that brightened up her day before she was even fully awake.

As she got dressed she could barely believe where life was going with her. Roughly twelve hours ago she was convinced her destiny was to shoot at Inklings and now the highest commander in the Octarian ranks had put on an elaborate concert to show her there was another way. The Inklings had even been nice enough to lend their Great Zapfish for the occasion. As she brushed her beak it felt like the octoling in the mirror was someone completely new. Her face was soft. Not the face of a fighter. The face of a friend. A friend to all. A friend to Inklings. Her complexion was rich and full like expensive chocolate, and her tentacles half swayed, half twitched in a relaxed manner, like she'd never get them in a knot over anything ever again.

Once she had rinsed her mouth she practiced a few welcoming looks in the mirror.

"I'm Marina. Nice to meet you. You love the Squid Sisters? So do I!" She blew a kiss at her reflection and giggled awkwardly before turning and heading out.

The streets of Octo Valley looked no different than any day before, but there was a song inside the young Octoling's heart that refused to quiet down. Not that she would have wanted it to. Her new calling lay spread out ahead of her like a long, beautiful road. She already knew how to sing – ever since she was a child she would sing to herself when no-one was around to hear her – now she just needed to go for DJ lessons

 **Master the DJ stacks – everything you'll ever need in an easy 18-month course**

 _Perfect._ Marina thought, and grabbed a pamphlet.

Pearl sat in a reasonably comfy chair outside the office of a popular talent agent in Inkopolis. She gently swung her lower legs back and forth, feeling the soles of her shoes only mildly hint at brushing against the carpet below. Her feet never seemed to touch the ground while she was seated.

"Mister Gillheart is ready for you now." The secretary chimed just as Pearl was getting comfortable. She popped out of her seat and followed the young inkling woman into a room with a table bigger than anything Pearl had ever seen in a dining room. She couldn't help but imagine the marks her shoes would leave in the no-doubt-pricey wood. Hypothetically, of course. A gentle looking Inkling man was sitting at the table and stood up when she walked in.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Pearl?" the friendly Armand Gillheart asked once Pearl was seated at the table.

"Check it," Pearl replied. "This little squid belongs in the spotlight. The turf wars are no place for my talent, and don't even get me started on those gnarly outfits the squares at Grizzco make us wear."

"Did you know that Grizzco is sponsoring more and more television programs?" Armand defended. "They're even in talks to buy the news. It might not be a terrible place to start. You can always-"

"It's a terrible place to set foot in." Pearl interrupted. "It's cool by me if they feel like sponsoring whatever I end up doing, as long as it doesn't involve going into those wack salmon turfs."

"Well I can see you're enthusiastic." Gillheart was no child himself, but he was used to dealing with youth in his line of work. "So let's put you to some screen tests. This camera is your new friend. Introduce yourself."

Inkopolis wasn't entirely the way Marina expected it to be. It seemed to the Octoling as if the message that there was now peace between the Inklings and Octarians didn't exactly reach the whole city. At least not any of the Inklings who noticed her as she walked in the streets. Some of them gave her intimidating stares and reached for their weapons whenever she drew near. Others took one look at her, turned in their tracks and fled. She even thought she heard a few screams.

Surely the people in the fancy record companies stay informed, she told herself. It's their job to stay current after all. As long as they welcomed her, she'd get where she was going in no time

Pearl's screen tests had impressed Armand to no end and he was now scanning his notes as he discussed them with Pearl.

"I've got the perfect job for you," Armand said hopefully, "If you can sing."

"Hake no! Pearl replied." I tried singing when I was a kid. It didn't go down well. But the building almost did."

"That's a shame," Gillheart said with some disappointment. "The Squid Sisters have been overworked and with your unique spunk you could have easily relieved one of them, on occasion."

"What about a Master of Ceremonies? Or a dancer? Or the hostess of a talk show?" Pearl pleaded.

"I like you, Pearl." Armand comforted. "You have a certain fizz about you that one doesn't see every day. If the world saw you they'd eat you up. You're really out there. But you're missing something. A certain kind of balance to your edge. I'd love to see you succeed. I promise I'll keep looking, but it might take a while, Okay?"

Two very different girls had had two very different terrible days. Marina had a sound she desperately wanted to share with the world but the world just wasn't interested. The only doors she could walk through were the ones that stood open, and even if she got that far she was promptly thrown out the moment she caught anyone's eye. And most of them made a point of tripping an alarm or calling security when they could have just politely asked her to leave.

Surely Marina would eventually find someone who would give her a chance? Surely an entire city wouldn't dismiss her just because she was descended from an Octopus and not a Squid?

It was after dark and Pearl was feeling gloomy. Even though the entertainment industry welcomed her with open arms, she probably had no place in it. It seemed to her that the light at the end of the tunnel, just like the daylight, was half way around the world. As she strolled around town she found a small park with some playground equipment. She took a seat on one of the swings and gently kicked at the dust around her feet.

 _Nothing works out my way  
I'll be just fine  
I'll sing another day  
The sun will shine_

Pearl looked up. Someone nearby was singing a sad, sweet melody with a syrupy voice unlike any Inkling Pearl had ever heard. She dropped out of the swing and tried to find out where the sound was coming from. She followed it to a small play-castle a few steps away from the swings.

"Who's in there?"

Pearl heard the owner of the voice gasp and try to get away.

"Wait!" she pleaded. "I can help you! I know people!" Pearl figured the least she could do for this tragic soul was give her a shot at the dream she herself could never achieve.

The voice hesitated.

"Come out. Let me see you."

Marina emerged from the plastic castle. She was a full head taller than Pearl but she felt tiny. The flood of emotion had pushed her soft face into a pout and she nervously turned it toward the ground as she held her longest tentacle in her hands and looked up at the pale inkling with her eyes.

Now it was Pearl who gasped. "You're Octarian!" She said in a panic. She instinctively checked her person and realized to her horror that she was unarmed. But then she noticed the Octoling's eyes were teared up, and she realized this was the first time she'd ever seen an Octoling's eyes. Pearl had always imagined they would be empty and protruding like the eyes on an Octotrooper. Instead this Octoling's eyes looked like windows to an unexpectedly normal soul. She didn't look like a soldier at all. She looked like someone who had had a terrible day, and in that regard at least the two young women were not so different at all.

Marina whimpered and turned again to flee.

"Wait!" Pearl repeated. "I didn't mean it like that! …OK, I meant it like that, but I wish I didn't. I'm sorry. Please come back?"

Marina cautiously turned back and walked toward the Inkling.

"You're… the first person in this whole city who's given me any kind of chance."

"What's your name?"

"Marina." The Octoling cracked a teary smile unlike the ones she had been practicing in the mirror.

"I'm Pearl". The two girls shook hands and were quietly surprised to find that the skin on the other's hand felt so similar to their own.

"You said you knew people… who could help me?" The Octoling asked hesitantly.

"That's right." The Inkling replied. "I became friends with really cool agent yesterday."


	3. The Plan

Pearl had made the three-seater couch she had brought from home into a bed for Marina, so now she at least had a safe place to sleep. There was also a large empty closet where Marina could keep her equipment. Pearl was not the best of cooks, but anything that didn't come out as she had planned she could usually save by drowning it in mayonnaise.

"Got any ketchup?" Marina asked as she tried not to grimace at the substance in the plate.

"What's wrong with my Mayonnaise and Hot Dog Casserole a la more mayonnaise?" Pearl asked indignantly.

Marina sniffed at her dinner and placed two fingers on her mouth. "Nothing. I'm sure it's fine. I'm just in the mood for something a little more… edible."

If there were a third person in the room with the two new friends they would have considered Marina unthankful in the face of Pearl's hospitality. In reality, after the disappointing days they had had, the carefree banter was doing the both of them a world of good. Pearl heated a frozen meal for one in the microwave and Marina devoured it gratefully. After dinner it was time to talk business.

"So what are we thinking?" Marina was keen to know. "Will this friend of yours really be willing to help me? Even though I'm an octoling?"

"Not exactly. Here in Inkopolis Octolings are scary. But don't trip. I have a plan."

"Okay, let's hear it." The Octoling asked eagerly.

"Step one: we stash Marina the Octoling away somewhere she'll be safe, and introduce the world to Marina the Inkling."

"A disguise?" Pearl nodded. "I'm not sure I really like that idea, but it doesn't really look like there's any other choice."

"Chill, homie. The who's-who invent stage personalities for themselves all the time. This is no different."

"Agreed." Marina conceded.

"Step two: we play your demo to the big record companies, they fall in love with you and we're living large 'till we're old an' wrinkly!"

"That sounds like a great plan," Marina commended. "Only I don't _have_ a demo…"

"Then what say we go make you one?" Pearl answered cryptically.

Armand Gillheart was one of the biggest agents in Inkopolis. Understandably he was reasonably wealthy. His children had their own Squid Jump cabinet, his wife had her pick of which car to drive, and one of his spare rooms had been converted into a recording studio as a courtesy to his favourite clients – it saved both parties a lot of money.

"Good morning, Miss Pearl," Gillheart said cheerfully. "What can I do for you today?"

"I was just wondering," Pearl answered. "I know you're taking your family away for the weekend, do you need someone to watch your house while you're away?"

"I was just about to phone a house sitting service, but I'm listening." Armand replied.

"The truth is I got this friend who's got a really sick voice. I'm pretty sure she's the act you've been looking for. But she's a bit shy. She DJ's too, but we wanna start with her singing and see where it goes. We're still working on her image but we need to record a demo-"

"Say no more," Armand interrupted as he opened a drawer. "Here's my spare key. Poke your head in twice a day without trashing the place and you can use whatever you need."

Pearl snatched up the keys like she was afraid Armand would change his mind. "Thanks, dog! You're the best!" she exclaimed gleefully.

"We're in!" Pearl said to Marina while as she leaned on her doorway spinning the keys on her forefinger.

For an Inkling and an Octarian travelling through Inkopolis on foot and by public transportation, night was the best time to do so. Marina filled an old Slosher with some of her ink and hid inside it as Pearl carried it through the streets, making her way to Gillheart's house.

"It's for… scientific research an' stuff." Pearl said to an Inkling next to her on the subway who couldn't help but notice she was carrying a bucket of Octarian ink.

When they finally reached Gillheart's monument of a house they marveled at his exquisite taste from the moment they passed through the gate. Pearl opened the front door and stepped inside. There was a table in the entertainment area where Pearl found a note directing her to the studio. Pearl stationed herself in front of the recording equipment and Marina entered the small soundproof booth where she adjusted the microphone to suit her height. Considering they were from two groups that had not gotten along for over a century, Pearl and Marina worked together amazingly well.

"One more time from the top?" Pearl asked later as she finished her second Tentacola for the night.

"Let's do it!" Marina agreed and cleared her throat.

Pearl started up the music track and Marina's rich, sweet voice filled her booth. Pearl hugged the headphone to her ear and gave Marina a silent thumbs-up grinning uncontrollably. By the time they had a sound they were happy with both women were exhausted.

"Why did we make two copies?" Marina asked as they were packing up.

"So we can send one out and hold onto the other. If anyone else needs a demo we just copy the one we have." Pearl clarified.

"You think of everything!" Marina admired.

"My mom taught me to dream big." Pearl explained. "What do you think? Home?"

"Sleep would be wonderful right now." Marina sighed.

Marina slipped back into her bucket and Pearl set out for her apartment. They quickly made their way through the silent streets. Even though it was almost one o'clock in the morning the summer air was warm and delicious.

"We're home free!" Pearl said as they arrived in the deserted Inkopolis Square. All the stores were long since locked up and there was hardly anyone about. She began to make a break for the subway station when she tripped and Marina spilled out from her hiding place, involuntarily switching back to humanoid form and landing seated on the hard concrete. She quickly stood up and dusted herself off and the two of them nervously glanced around to see if anyone was watching. Judd, the cat who judges the turf wars, was seated on his usual cushion, wide awake and looking right at them.

"Please don't tell anyone!" Pearl begged.

"Who am I to judge?" the plump cat asked rhetorically.

Given their late night, Pearl and Marina slept in the next day, even by inkling standards. They were seated in the kitchen, each enjoying a cup of coffee when Pearl spoke.

"We'll rest up today." She said. "Tomorrow the _real_ work begins."

"Real work?" Marina repeated.

"Basically I got a lot going for me, but I can't sing. So starting tomorrow I'm taking everything I got and passing it on to you. I'll teach you all my moves, my mannerisms, my stage presence, if we put all our best into one superstar… there's no _telling_ what heights we'll reach!"

Marina seemed a bit daunted. "Are you sure that's the best way to go about this?"

"Trust me," Pearl defended. "I got everything I need except what you have. If I didn't need you I would have missed out on a great friend."

Marina looked at her feet and smiled. "I just want to say… thank you. You're the first Inkling who's given me a second look. And the moment you did that everything just got better somehow…"

There was a moment of quiet reflection followed by desperate hammering at the door.

"Pearl! Open up! Open up right now!"

"It's Gillheart," Pearl said. "What could he want?"

"You didn't leave your soda can on his desk did you?"

Pearl turned white, even for Pearl. "Quick. Get in the bucket. I'll be right there, Mister Gillheart!" she called to the man outside her door.

Pearl stashed Marina's bucket under a table and opened the door.

"Can I come in?" Armand asked the moment Pearl's face appeared in the doorway.

"Sure." Pearl obliged. "What's up?"

"Where is she? I have to meet her right now!" Gillheart demanded.

Pearl swallowed. "Who..? What are you talking about?"

"Your friend the singer. I found the demo you left at my house. It blew me away!"

Pearl froze. _We left one of our demos there!_ She thought.

"I was so impressed I dropped everything and went straight to the biggest music producer I know. Ten seconds into the track and they were sold! They want to meet her first thing in the morning."

"But… But…" Pearl struggled. "She's not ready! We still have work to do!"

"Don't worry, Pearl. I'll do all the talking. We can work on it all in time, but right now I _need_ to meet her. You _have_ to take me to her immediately."

"I… er… she…" Pearl stammered.

"Tell him it's you." Marina whispered from her hiding place.

"Are you crazy?" Pearl whispered back in protest.

"Trust me. We can make it work." Marina argued.

"It's… me…" Pearl said blankly.

"Are you serious?" Armand gaped. "I thought you said you couldn't sing!"

"I've… been going for lessons." She fabricated.

Armand brightened up. "Rule number one of the entertainment industry: Modesty is the absolute worst policy!"

Pearl was reminded of a similar expression and chuckled nervously.

"Pearl girl, you're about to become so famous the world will forget the Squid Sisters ever existed!"


	4. Working As One

Pearl arrived home from her meeting with the record executives. She was now calming down over a cup of coffee.

"We can do this, Pearl." Marina reassured. "I thought about it. You already have everything but the voice. Why don't _you_ be my disguise? Why don't _you_ be Marina the Inkling? Only your name will be Pearl."

"What exactly did you have in mind?"

"We put you on the stage with a dummy mic and some dummy DJ stuff." She explained. "I'll be backstage providing the sound and you just go out there and do your thing."

"Lip-synching?" Pearl said the word out loud.

"It's not like we'll be selling them fake talent," Marina justified. "The sound they hear will be real. The moves they see will be real. We're just being a bit… creative about where it's all coming from. We were in a tight spot and this was the only way out. Now we have to roll with it. If you want to give up now I'll understand, but I don't think there'll be a way back in later."

She looked at Pearl who gave it a moment of thought.

"No," she said at last. "Like you said: We can do this."

Finally the evening of Pearl's first performance arrived. Gillheart went all out on the marketing as he knew his new star would be an instant hit. Pearl waited backstage while Marina hid nearby until it was safe to set up. The inkling signaled with a light cough and Marina came out of hiding.

"You nervous?" Marina asked as she assembled her equipment and poked around for a plug socket. She was wearing the stage mic that was intended for Pearl.

"A little." Pearl nodded as she adjusted her dummy.

"Stand by…" a voice prompted over Marina's earpiece and she gestured toward the stage.

"We got this, Pearl." Marina whispered just as Pearl was about to set foot outside the darkness of the wings. She knew each of Marina's songs by heart. She gently tapped her microphone to make sure it wasn't working and stepped into the spotlight. She walked over to the dummy mixer and squinted at it, then the at crowd.

 _To think all these people showed up just to watch me play with this… toy._ She thought to herself.

"On three" Marina whispered just behind the screen. "One… Two… Three."

Pearll threw a fake switch on the stage while Marina threw a real one behind it. The concert hall filled with sound and a thousand concertgoers cheered. Marina sang sweetly as Pearl mirrored her every word and danced up a storm. Pearl and Marina's act (pun intended) was an instant success. After the show Pearl met up with Gillheart and Marina secretly went home.

"You were a sensation, Pearl! An absolute sensation!" he raved. "I challenge you to find one newspaper without your face on the cover tomorrow morning."

"Was I that good?" Pearl feigned modesty. She wasn't about to boast with her best friend's talent, no matter how great it was.

They were quickly joined by Gillheart's family. "You really know how to pick 'em, darling!" his wife admired as she clung to his arm.

"I hate to brag, but I sure do," he agreed. "Can you believe this kid loitered around my office for a _week_ and I didn't realize she was the full package? How does fortune just come to me?"

"Sing Calamari Inkantation!" Gillheart's youngest requested out of nowhere. Pearl felt like her eyes would stretch to take up her entire forehead as the child's two brothers cheered in chorused agreement.

"Now kids," his wife rescued her. "Miss Pearl's been singing all night. I'm sure she'd like nothing more than to go home and get some rest." Pearl relaxed.

On the walk home Pearl's mind ran through the concert. Everything had run smoothly and if she and Marina could keep this up it was going to be an easy life indeed, as long as no-one else expected her to sing while Marina wasn't around. It didn't feel to Pearl like she was stealing Marina's fame. They both provided equal talent to the performance and they were certainly planning on sharing the rewards equally. Pearl was certain Marina felt the same way.

"You krilled it, Pearlie!" Marina said when her flatmate walked through the door.

"You too!" Pearl reciprocated as she sat down, kicked off her shoes and started rubbing her feet.

There was the sound of a kettle boiling in the kitchen and Marina stood up. A moment later she returned with two cups of coffee and handed one to Pearl. The two girls sat chatting as the night wore on and they only thought to look at the clock after Pearl's first yawn: It was well past midnight and they wished each other pleasant dreams before Pearl left for her room and Marina lay down on her bed-couch.

"So what's the latest?" Marina asked a week later when Pearl came home from a meeting with Gillheart.

"We got a gig. There was a lot of business mumbo jumbo but the long and short is that Grizzco is sponsoring a launch event for all the new special weapons and I've been asked to do the entertainment"

"What did you tell them?" Marina asked.

"Same as always. That I'd sleep on it. We're doing it though, right?"

"Like you even need to ask." Marina smiled.

A temporary stage was set up in a large field. Everywhere were promotional stands with free samples of the new special weapons. Marina silently set up her equipment behind the stage while the event manager was explaining the particulars of the show to Pearl.

"We've rigged up a Launch Pad for you over there. You'll use it to Super Jump to a checkpoint we've placed on the stage for your big entrance. Once you land on the stage turn on your mic and you'll be good to go."

A few hours later everything was ready, including the performers. Pearl awaited her queue by the launch pad and Marina awaited hers behind the stage. As the countdown began in Marina's ear she waved at Pearl and echoed the dwindling numbers on her fingers. When Marina's last finger disappeared Pearl hopped onto the launch pad and catapulted into the air.

"Y'all know what time it is!" Marina called out in her best Pearl voice and the crowd cheered. "Here we go!" she said and cranked up her volume.

The concert was going swimmingly. A colourful crowd of mostly Inklings had turned out for the event and they were enjoying every minute of it. Even though no one could see her, Marina too was having a blast. As she sang she began to sway gracefully. At exactly the wrong time a freak gust of wind came up just when Marina accidentally bumped the stage with her hip. Slowly at first, the flimsy backdrop began to lean until it was past the tipping point. Before anyone realized what was happening the stage collapsed and the surprised Octoling was in full view of the entire crowd.

"Octarian!" someone shouted. In an instant the fun was over and every person present was suddenly filled with fear. Without thinking, Pearl sprinted for the nearest promotional stand and grabbed the first thing she could reach.

" _Please_ be something defensive!" she said under her breath as scores of multicoloured Inklings took aim at Marina who was frozen in terror.

Just as the ink began to fly Pearl dove in front of her friend, tore open the packet with her beak and spread out her arms. A Baller appeared around her body and shielded her from the rush of colour, but due to the sheer volume of fire it was not going to provide a particularly long bout of protection.

"Take cover, Marina!" Pearl grunted through a gritted beak before her barrier faded and she blew apart in a shower of ink.

The frightened Octoling came to her senses and scrambled under the collapsed pieces of stage.

"She's hiding under the scenery! Get her!"

The mob stormed the heap of wood and cardboard and began tossing pieces aside. Seconds later Pearl reappeared on the checkpoint from earlier, rummaged through the debris and found Marina's stage mic.

"EVERYBODY CALM DOWN!" she screamed over the noise and a sudden silence fell. The rage died down and everyone looked at Pearl.

"I understand that you're all afraid of her." Pearl began earnestly. "I was afraid of her too. But she's also afraid of all of you. She's not here to hurt anyone, believe me. All she wants to do is share her music with us, but ever since she set her first tentacle in Inkopolis, no one would even give her a chance. And yet despite the way we've all been treating her, the first thing she did when we met was give _me_ a chance." Pearl's eyes began to moisten. "A chance I didn't even deserve. From that moment I've had the best friend anyone could ask for. She's kind, and understanding, and boy is she talented! She's the real reason you're all here. In fact, she's the reason _I'm_ here! _She_ helped me get this far. Everything I've achieved has been thanks to her. Please don't take her away from me. For you own sake, don't take her away from _you_!"

There was a moment of tense silence. The crowd was softened but not yet completely swayed. Gillheart was the first to speak.

"An Octarian? On my stage? I don't believe this! An inkling and an Octoling as friends? The very idea is… it's…"

"It's groundbreaking!" an Inkling girl with yellow tentacles called from the crowd.

The next moment the old Gillheart was back and he slowly began to smile.

"It is!" he said. "It's _absolutely_ groundbreaking! It could change the world as we know it. Inkling and Octarian hand in hand. It's fresh. It's mindblowing." He looked up like there was a billboard floating in front of him that only he could see. "It's Off the Hook!"

The stage was reassembled and the concert carried on the way it was meant to be, with both girls getting a microphone. Marina sang and worked the DJ stacks while Pearl announced the songs, bantered between them and danced. There were intermittent sections of music that had no vocals, allowing Marina to focus on showing off her DJ skills.

Pearl no longer needed to focus on lip-synching and her mind began to wander during the songs. To keep herself focused she started talking rhythmically as she danced without realizing her mic was still on.

"Yeah! I got ya in my reticle! Lemme see ya shake ya tentacles! That's right, squid, wave 'em around!"

The crowd went insane.

"How did you come up with that?" Marina asked Pearl the following day.

"I dunno," Pearl mused. "I just… got bored I guess…"

"Do you think you could do it again? Like, every time?"

The next moment Pearl's cellphone rang.

"It's Gillheart," she said, looking at the screen. "Hello?"

Pearl was silent as Gillheart spoke on the other side of the line.

"Oh, they saw that?" she asked sheepishly.

Again Gillheart's voice was heard faintly from the earpiece, but this time a giant smile gradually took over Pearl's face like the moon emerging from an eclipse.

"Hold on. I'll check," She said and rested her handset on the area where her collarbone would have been if she had bones, turning her face toward Marina.

"How do you feel about hosting the news?"

THE END


End file.
